Trickle charger recomendations?

[Tripwire]

I need to buy a trickle charger for my rig so the battery stays charged after extended periods of non use/driving

i am looking for something "smart" and not just a cheapo POS...I have dual optima batteries that I dont want to damage:eek:

can anyone recommend a particular brand/model

Thanks for the advise

Trip:drivin:

[newtojeeps]

Get a solar one from Harbor freight.

[CJ the noisemaker]

Get a solar one from Harbor freight.Idk, Washington gets more rain than sun :D

[Tripwire]

Ahhh....but i forgot to mention it would be parked inside ..:p :p

Could leave the lights on :D :D :D

trip:drivin:

[stonehengeheels]

Try the Battery Tender or Battery Tender Jr.

[The Colonel]

I've been running a few of these on various batteries for a few years and they have been flawless.

http://www.amazon.com/Vector-VEC080-1-5Amp-Float-Charger/dp/B000B74VIE

[Elliott]

Why not just disconnect the positive cable? I did this for years on a diehard battery in a truck I left for the winter in AK and it started every spring for me after reconnecting. I was only up there for ~3 months and would leave it at the airstrip each fall, come back in the spring.

[zseese]

Try the Battery Tender or Battery Tender Jr.

2nd this, I keep the Battery Tender on my spare vehicles battery(which just became my first FSJ yesterday, btw) and it runs cool and keep a good charge all the time...

[Hubjeep]

Optima batteries are AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries, the charger you use should put out no more than 15V. I have a few Odyssey and a Deka AGM.

The batterytender is an excellent charger, they sell tethers and extensions so you can just run the 12V lead to your vehicle.
http://www.batterymart.com/p-del-021-0128.html

Or pink one:
http://www.batterymart.com/p-021-0128-pink-battery-tender-12v-1_25a-charger.html


These works well too, you can mount the unit under the hood, I have a couple on yard vehicles:
http://www.toolrage.com/prodview.asp?sku=SOL-1002

[Skeeter74]

I believe Optima has charges they recommend.
Here's a link.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/charging_agmbattery.php

[Wagonforever]

I bought a Husky smart charger from Home Depot a couple years ago for my Camper Deep Cycle bats. It's worked great and has a setting for AMG as well as wet and two other settings I can't remember. But it also has an equalization and desulfication modes, 60/20/10/2 amp settings. Plus once the battery is charged it will go into float mode and maintain the battery, I leave it on my camper batteries all winter.

[kwai]

Elliott is right on. If you are going to park a vehicle for an extended period then disconnecting the battery is a good idea. A switch is the most convenient way to disconnect the batteries.

Also, the stray currents from the battery can cause electrolysis to occur in your coolant and it will foul out the radiator.

If you are in a cold area where the battery can freeze, then removing it from the vehicle is good. I have several trucks that suffer from exploded batteries that leaked out the acid which then ate up the sheet metal in the truck. My chief is rust-free except where the battery acid ate away the front half of the battery tray and a fist-sized hole in the inner fender.

However, I also recommend the battery tender or the solargizer (I use these on all my 24V OD trucks).

[Tripwire]

Thanks for all the input...:D

BTW, the reason I dont want to disconnect the battery is because i will lose my fuel injections "learned program/cal blocks" and I use the rig as a emergency backup in case my daily driver dies - sure it will quickly relearn the program - just dont want the hassle


Trip:drivin:

[710 Burner]

I figured it was either that or you did not want to reprogram the radio every time. They make a battery to keep the memory, but you would still have charge issues.